


The Prince's Conflict

by AcesOfSpade



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Character Death, Childbirth, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Human Vision, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Pining, Pregnancy, Sexual Assault, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, last two tags only apply to chapter two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 06:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8002456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcesOfSpade/pseuds/AcesOfSpade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Jonas, of the kingdom of Augmentis, had never been a 'typical' prince. He was kind and fair to the staff, and he treated everyone as equals.</p><p>When he first met one of Queen Maria's handmaidens, he was enamored from the start. Now though, with King Howard attempting to arrange a marriage for him, he must confront the feelings he's locked away for years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually partially based on a Marvel AU RP I'm part of over on fanfiction, and my friend and I are massive ScarletVision nerds, so this happened. Essentially, human!Vision is named Jonas, he's Howard's bastard with a woman from another kingdom, and Maria essentially adopted him as her own.
> 
> Also, I have decided human!Vision should be played by Ryan Potter, so there's that.

As the prince of a prospering kingdom, Jonas had a certain image to uphold. However, he didn't want to uphold that image. He just wasn't the distant prince they waned him to be. He was inquisitive, and he found the villagers fascinating in so many ways. He didn't want to see them as lesser, he wanted to see them as equals, so he did. He treated the villagers with the same respect he gave other nobles, but not when the King was around. No, when King Howard was within Jonas' vicinity, he had to act like the villagers were lesser than he, treat them poorly. He always apologized profusely once Howard was gone, which confused the villagers. The youngest prince, currently second in line for the throne behind his elder brother Anthony, was _apol_ _o_ _gizing_ for acting like a prince.

 

With the castle staff, Jonas made sure they were being treated fairly. If the 'head' staff were being unfair to one of the other staff members, he gave them a stern talking to. The castle staff were just as important as any other person in the castle in Jonas' mind, and if one was being treated poorly, Jonas took personal offence.

 

One particular member of the castle staff, one of Queen Maria's handmaidens, had caught Jonas' eye the first time he met her. She was probably a year younger than himself, with bright blue eyes and dark hair. She was stunning physically, but when Jonas experienced her personality, she became more fascinating. He kept telling himself he wasn't falling in love with a member of the staff, but he was drawn to her whenever they were in the same room.

 

Of course, King Howard wasn't one for love. He was one for business and convenience. He had arranged a marriage for Anthony to Lady Virginia from a neighbouring kingdom, and he was in the process of arranging one for Jonas. Jonas had to keep quiet about the whole affair, lest Howard fire the handmaiden. He knew Queen Maria would never, but King Howard might.

 

Finally, when Jonas was 18, King Howard had settled everything for his marriage. He would wed Princess Hope, the daughter of King Henry of Parvus. Princess Hope was a few years older than Jonas, and she was rather assertive and abrasive when Jonas first met her. Jonas immediately did not like her when she insulted him for being mixed-race and the result of an affair between the King and a commoner from the kingdom of Genosha. He had to put up with her though, so he plastered on a fake smile and nodded along as she began a tirade of insults towards him, Queen Maria, King Howard, and Prince Anthony. Jonas wanted to get up and leave, tell his father this wouldn't work out, but he couldn't. He had to be the good prince everyone thought he was.

 

The minute Princess Hope left to return to Parvus to prepare, Jonas sought out Queen Maria for advice. Queen Maria had taken Jonas under her wing, despite having been married to King Howard when he was conceived. She treated Jonas like her own son, and she was there when he needed her.

 

Knocking softly on the door to Maria's study, Jonas was called in. He stepped in, closing the door behind him.

 

“Mother,” Jonas nodded, for Maria was the only mother he'd ever known.

 

“Jonas, what a pleasant surprise,” Maria smiled, gesturing for Jonas to come sit with her. “Did everything go well with Princess Hope?”

 

Jonas shook his head, sitting across from his mother. “I do not believe we are compatible,” he told her honestly. “She spent nearly the entire time insulting myself, and the rest of our family, including you,” he muttered, looking down at his hands.

 

Maria frowned, placing a hand over Jonas'. “That was not polite of her,” she told Jonas firmly. “What was she saying, if you do not mind my asking?”

 

“She stated that my status as prince should be revoked on the grounds that my biological mother was a villager. She also declared me a 'lesser noble' for being of mixed-race,” Jonas said softly. “She called Father a horrible man for cheating on you, she called Anthony a whole string of crude names, and she... she called you pathetic for taking me in as your own.” Maria was probably one of Jonas' favourite people in the kingdom, alongside her handmaiden and Anthony.

 

Maria's brows creased as a rare frown tugged at her lips. “I shall speak with your father about this,” she decided. “I do not wish to see you miserable just because he wants an alliance with Parvus.”

 

“Thank you, Mother,” Jonas muttered, looking back up at her with a small smile.

 

Maria pulled Jonas into a hug, only pulling away when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called out, assuming it was one of her handmaidens.

 

Indeed it was, and Jonas immediately sat up straighter when he realized which it was. His heart fluttered in his chest, though he tried to make that stop by sheer force of will.

 

“Your Majesty, the King wishes to speak with you,” the handmaiden told her with a small curtsey.

 

“Thank you, Wanda,” Maria nodded. “Tell him I shall be right there.”

 

Wanda nodded, turning to leave the room after another quick curtsey. Jonas felt himself relax when she left the room, but his heart still fluttered in his chest.

 

Maria glanced at Jonas with a small, knowing smile. She may have married Howard through an arrangement between their fathers, but she did truly love him. She knew, just by the way Jonas acted around Wanda, that he was in love with her, whether he admitted it to himself or not. She knew that the day he finally spoke to her about it, Maria would defend Jonas' choice to her husband. She wanted both of her children to be happy. Anthony seemed to love Lady Virginia, and that was all Maria wanted for him, was happiness.

 

Maria stood, as did Jonas, and the two left the study. Maria kissed Jonas' cheek before heading off to find Howard, while Jonas decided to return to his chambers.

 

On the way back to his chambers, Jonas accidentally ran into one of the staff that was rushing about. She had fallen to the ground, so Jonas knelt down to make sure she was alright. He felt his heart race when he realized he'd knocked over Wanda, but he masked it well.

 

“I am truly sorry,” Jonas told her. “I was not paying attention to where I was going.”

 

“It was my fault,” Wanda shook her head. “I should have paid more attention to my surroundings. I am sorry, Your Royal Highness.”

 

Jonas offered her his hand to help her up, which she took hesitantly. “Agree to disagree, then,” he muttered good-naturedly, not immediately dropping her hand when she was back on her feet. She was warm, and her hands were soft, and he wished he could hold her hand longer.

 

Wanda ended up being the one to drop his hand, a scarlet blush as deep as her hair spreading across her cheeks. It was adorable, and made Jonas' breath hitch ever-so-slightly. He realized, in that moment, that he was truly in love with the handmaiden, and he had it _bad_.

 

As Jonas realized that, Wanda had quickly scurried off, leaving Jonas standing in the corridor thinking. He quickly made his way back to his chambers, closing himself in and sitting on the edge of his bed.

 

_I love her_ he thought. _I truly do. But how do I tell her?_ Should _I tell her?_

 

Those thoughts, and many more, circled his mind as he sat there, staring at nothing as his mind worked overtime. He was only snapped out of his thoughts by one of the staff arriving to fetch him for dinner. He quickly pulled himself together, following the boy to the dining hall.

 

Taking his usual place across from Anthony, Jonas was unusually quiet as he pushed food around his plate. Maria noticed, but she thought she knew what was bothering him, so she left him be.

 

Howard, on the other hand, had some words for Jonas about his meeting with Princess Hope.

 

“Jonas, your mother tells me you believe you are incompatible with Princess Hope,” Howard began, which made Jonas flinch at his tone. “She tells me you said she was insulting this family, which I do not believe.” He was being harsh, more harsh than usual.

 

Jonas nodded, looking over at Howard. “She was,” he said firmly. “There were a few members of the staff that can attest to this.”

 

Howard resisted a snort. “The staff cannot be trusted to relay information.”

 

“I believe him,” Maria said, a little too sharply. “He has no need to lie about such a thing.”

 

Howard gave a small sneer, but dropped the topic. He would have to speak with King Henry, and find a more suitable bride for Jonas.

 

The rest of dinner went by silently, with the exception of Anthony accidentally spilling his drink and cursing under his breath.

 

After dinner, Jonas returned to his chambers, sitting under the window to think again. Howard would most certainly seek out another bride for him, but he wasn't sure he _wanted_ him to. He knew who he wished he could wed, but that could never happen. There were laws against that, and that was that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a year since Princess Hope and her awful words. In that year, Jonas has been spending more and more time with Wanda. 
> 
> He finally sits down with his mother to tell her about his feelings, and Maria assures him he will find happiness.
> 
> A few days later, Wanda is left vulnerable and Jonas is there to comfort her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Potential trigger warning:** sexual assault, attempted rape.
> 
> If either of those things are triggers to you, you may not want to read this. I'll admit, that wasn't the direction I was originally taking this in, but it happened, and I apologize for that.

It took another year for King Howard to find a more suitable bride. Lady Natalia of Rouge seemed to be much nicer than Princess Hope upon first meeting, though there was something about her that unsettled Jonas immediately. She had an air about her that made it seem like she could snap Jonas' neck in an instant. He would put up with her, however, because she wasn't insulting him.

 

During the year between Princess Hope and Lady Natalia, Jonas had spent as much time with Wanda as he could without seeming creepy. He honestly enjoyed her company, as she was surprisingly candid and cheerful for a handmaiden. Also in that year, Wanda hit a growth spurt, now standing an inch shorter than Jonas himself. Her figure had filled out as well, and she began wearing her hair down. Jonas was finding it increasingly harder not to stare, but he caught himself doing so much too often.

 

As the date of his wedding approached, Jonas was getting nervous. He knew Maria wanted him to be happy, but he didn't think he could be happy with Lady Natalia. It was nothing against her, she simply wasn't his type. He couldn't tell Howard that, because Howard would just sneer, scoff, and tell him to grow up.

 

One week before his wedding, Jonas had sat down with Maria again to talk. It had been two weeks since he had met Lady Natalia, but he wanted to come clean to his mother so someone knew before he was married.

 

“Mother,” Jonas said once he sat down, “there is something I would like to speak with you about.”

 

“Is something wrong, Jonas?” Maria asked with a small frown.

 

“Not necessarily wrong, but perplexing,” Jonas stated. “It is about Lady Natalia.”

 

“Do I need to speak with your father again?” Maria asked, fully prepared to do so.

 

Jonas shook his head. “There is nothing concerning about her,” he assured his mother. “I simply do not believe I can be happy with her as my bride.”

 

“What do you mean?” Maria asked, still frowning.

 

Jonas sighed deeply, looking down at his hands. “I have fallen in love with someone I should not have, and Lady Natalia is not her.”

 

“I will not judge you, my son. Who is she?” Maria asked softly, placing a hand on Jonas' knee comfortingly.

 

“She is a handmaiden,” Jonas said quietly. “One of yours.”

 

Maria took a moment to recall the names and faces of her handmaidens before realization dawned on her. “Miss Maximoff,” she said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

 

Jonas nodded. “She fascinates me in a way no other woman has, Mother,” he muttered. “She is beautiful, charming, compassionate... I could go on for hours,” he added, a far-off sort of look in his eyes.

 

Maria smiled fondly at Jonas, squeezing his knee. “I understand,” she told him firmly. “If, by the end of the week, you feel you cannot marry Lady Natalia, I will speak with her directly. I do not wish to see you unhappy, especially when there is clearly somebody that makes you happy.”

 

Jonas found himself smiling back, nodding. “Thank you, Mother.”

 

“Of course, my son,” Maria smiled. “Now, shall we play a game of chess?”

 

Unknown to both Jonas and Maria, the handmaiden in question happened to pass by the room as they began talking. She knew that eavesdropping was rude and could result in being fired, but she was curious by nature, and she worried about Jonas. He had been attempting to be around her more often, which Wanda believed to be a good sign.

 

When she was brought into the conversation, she almost dropped the tray she was carrying. The prince... was in love with her? But why her? She was a handmaiden, a lowly member of the staff. She didn't see in herself what Jonas saw in her, and she definitely didn't think she should be loved. After all, she was a witch masquerading as a human, and sorcery was punishable by death. She quickly scurried off when Maria suggested a game of chess, returning to the kitchen with her tray.

 

The rest of the day, Wanda attempted to actively avoid Prince Jonas, but she failed miserably. He seemed to be seeking her out and finding her, though she wasn't truly put-off. She had known for quite some time she had developed feelings for the prince that went beyond a master/servant relationship, though she never imagined in her most vivid fantasies that he could possibly return her affection.

 

The next three days were much the same, with Jonas seeking out Wanda just to be near her, and Wanda's heart going crazy whenever they were in the same room. Should she talk to him? But then he'd know she'd listened in on a private conversation. She didn't know what to do, and it was driving her mad.

 

On the fourth day, something finally happened. Wanda was sweeping the corridor outside Jonas' chambers, another one of the staff a few hundred feet down the hall. Wanda was humming to herself as she swept, a happy little tune to distract herself.

 

The other sweeper moved closer to Wanda, sneaking up behind her. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. It took every ounce of her willpower to not scream and shove him off. Instead, she opted to follow the polite path.

 

“Arthur,” she muttered uncomfortably. “What are you doing?”

 

“Isn't it obvious?” Arthur muttered, much to close to her ear for Wanda's liking. “I am admiring your form.”

 

“I do not wish for you to do so,” Wanda said sharply, attempting to wiggle out of his arms and failing. His grip on her waist was much too tight for her to escape.

 

“I neglect to see why your opinion is relevant to the matter,” Arthur said, nipping at the shell of Wanda's ear with his teeth.

 

Wanda's brain shut down, but not for a good reason. In shut down in absolute panic, her body going rigid and her mind screaming for him to stop, but no words came out. Arthur took that as a sign that she was done resisting, attaching his lips to her neck and kissing it.

 

As he kept going, red energy floated around Wanda's balled fists, curling up her arms and up to her neck. When it touched Arthur, he jolted back as if burned, eyes widening at the sight of the energy.

 

“A witch,” he growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her against the nearest wall. “Now you can't say no, or I shall tell your superior.” His hands were still on her shoulders, pinning her to the wall. Her protests were silenced by Arthur's lips on her own, but she made no move to reciprocate. She didn't want this, didn't know why it was happening. Arthur was a few years older than her, and she was barely 19.

 

Arthur's hands moved from her shoulders down to her hips, then underneath the hem of her shirt. His hands burned hot against her skin, as if searing their mark into her flesh. She tried kicking Arthur in the shin, but he had her legs pinned to the wall with his knees. She was completely helpless and vulnerable, save for her magic. However, she wasn't using that again, because it had only made things worse.

 

Jonas had heard a commotion outside his chambers and slipped out quietly. He evidently wasn't noticed, as the blonde-haired servant was still making his advances on another member of the staff Jonas couldn't see. The boy was quite tall, blocking Jonas' sight of the other staff member.

 

When Jonas saw the red energy spark from the other staff member, his eyes widened. There was a witch working in the castle...

 

As the blonde jerked back, Jonas caught sight of the other staff member, and his blood ran cold. He heard the blonde threaten Wanda, but he wasn't fast enough to react before he shoved her against the wall across from his door.

 

When Wanda began to struggle, Jonas sprang into action. There was an unnatural anger in his eyes as he sneaked up behind Arthur. He grabbed the servant by the back of his shirt, which got him to stop his attack on Wanda. He froze up, attempting to turn to see who had grabbed him. His dark eyes widened when he saw exactly who it was that had him in hand, he blood draining from his face.

 

“Mr. Millbrook,” Jonas said flatly. “What are you doing?” There was an eery calm to his voice that sent a shiver down Arthur's spine.

 

“N-Nothing,” Arthur muttered, trying to worm his way out of Jonas' grasp.

 

“I am sure Miss Maximoff would disagree,” Jonas said, tightening his grip on Arthur's shirt, pulling him off the ground slightly. Jonas easily had five inches on Arthur, so the blonde was dangling a few inches off the ground. “Such actions will not be tolerated in this castle,” he continued. “You are to collect your possessions and leave the grounds. You are not permitted to return, under any circumstances. Understood?” he said darkly, dropping Arthur back onto the ground. Arthur simply nodded quickly, scurrying off towards the servants' quarters to collect his things.

 

Once Arthur was out of sight, Jonas was at Wanda's side in an instant, making sure she was alright. She was shaking like a leaf, her face drained of colour.

 

“Miss Maximoff, are you alright?” he asked softly, refraining from touching her. He didn't want to make it worse on her, because she already looked petrified.

 

Wanda shook her head quickly, feeling tears forming in her eyes. She wanted to cry, wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Why her? Why now? Why? She didn't want to think about it, instead opting to slide down the wall into a sitting position, pulling her knees to her chest. She rested her forehead on her knees, feeling the first wave of sobs wash over her. Her body shook with each sob, and Jonas simply sat next to her. He didn't know exactly what to do, but he knew touching her might make it worse.

 

As the sobs died down, Wanda looked up to Jonas, her blue eyes red-rimmed from all of the crying. “Thank you,” she muttered, voice broken and soft. “Thank you for making him stop.”

 

“I did not want to see you suffer,” Jonas admitted softly, not realizing what he was saying.

 

Wanda wiped her eyes on her sleeve, shifting herself to move closer to Jonas. “You are a good man, Prince Jonas,” she muttered. “Many other royals would have turned their attention and let him carry on. But not you. You saved me from humiliation and violation, and for that I thank you.”

 

Jonas nodded softly, cautiously reaching out to place a hand on Wanda's shoulder. “I care,” he said quietly, looking her in the eyes. “I care about _you_ ,” he added. “I could not live with myself if I allowed him to continue.”

 

“But why me?” Wanda asked softly, looking into his bright brown eyes.

 

“Because you are spectacular,” Jonas muttered, squeezing her should gently. “You are a wonderful, beautiful person. Of course I care.”

 

“But you saw...” Wanda trailed off, flexing her fingers as if to elaborate.

 

“I do not care,” Jonas assured her. “Such a thing makes you more spectacular. You are no criminal. I would not condemn you for something you were born with.”

 

Wanda couldn't stop herself, lunging forward to pull Jonas into a tight hug. She was probably crossing a few lines set by the kings of the past, but she didn't care.

 

Without hesitation, Jonas wrapped his arms around Wanda in return, trying to comfort her as best he could. He found himself pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, which seemed to make her shift to be closer.

 

The two stayed like that for a while, just sitting across from Jonas' chambers, wrapped in each other's arms. Neither wanted to move, transfixed by the feeling of the person they shouldn't love nestled close to them.

 

Maria found them like that when she went to find Wanda for a brief meeting. She cooed softly at the sight, backing away without word. She would contact Lady Natalia, even if Jonas didn't ask her to. She knew he'd be happy with Wanda, and Maria was prepared to argue with Howard over this until she won.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after Wanda's assault, Jonas sits down with Maria again to talk. This time, their discussion led to Jonas taking initiative.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have fluff to combat the angst I just posted. Have it. Enjoy it. Don't hate me please.

The next day, Maria called Jonas into her study to discuss Lady Natalia and the wedding. Maria had sent her a letter via pigeon the night before, and had received one back that morning.

 

Jonas sat down in his favourite chair in her study, wondering what it was his mother wanted to talk about. He was distracted, however, as he remembered what had happened the night before. After what felt like hours sitting outside his chambers, Jonas invited Wanda in so she could sleep. His chambers were closer than the servants' quarters, and he assumed she wouldn't want to return quite yet. They ended up sharing a bed, Wanda unknowingly clinging tightly to Jonas in her sleep. She was gone when he'd woken, but he knew she'd been there.

 

Maria noticed the far-off, almost dream-like look on Jonas' face and chuckled softly. She cleared her throat to bring him back to reality, which worked just fine.

 

“I sent a letter to Lady Natalia last night,” Maria told him once she had his attention. “I told her that the wedding will not go forth, and she sent one that I received this morning. She has accepted that this has happened, saying she had found someone on her own anyway.”

 

“Why did you sent her a letter?” Jonas frowned, shifting in his chair. Did she know...?

 

A soft look settled on Maria's face, paired with a small smile. “Yesterday, I saw you in the corridor with Miss Maximoff,” she said quietly. “While nothing may have happened between the two of you, something inevitably will now.”

 

Jonas blinked. “I was comforting her,” he said. “Mr. Millbrook had attempted to assault her sexually, but I stepped in to stop him. I terminated his position.”

 

“That was the right thing to do,” Maria nodded. “Did anything happen between the two of you?” she asked, not accusingly. She just wanted to know.

 

Jonas thought for a moment on whether or not he should tell her, and he finally decided to. “I told her that I care about her, that she is spectacular and beautiful.” He left out the witch part, as he wasn't sure how Maria would react.

 

Maria smiled softly, patting Jonas' knee. “And how did she react?” she asked.

 

“She hugged me,” Jonas said. “Which led to me hugging her, and we just sat in the corridor like that, across from my chambers.”

 

“My son, I believe you may have an admirer,” Maria chuckled softly. “An admirer whom you already admire.”

 

Jonas felt heat rising in his cheeks, his gaze diverting to his hands. “Mother,” he muttered, unsure of what else to say.

 

“Tell her, my son,” Maria said firmly. “Tell her how you feel properly. You may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.”

 

“I do not know how,” Jonas admitted, looking back up at his mother.

 

“Get her alone, away from the rest of the staff,” Maria said, “and just tell her. There is not much else to it.”

 

“Are you sure?” Jonas muttered, unsure of his mother's idea.

 

Maria nodded. “Upfront honesty is better than ignoring it.”

 

“Okay,” Jonas nodded, standing from his chair and giving Maria a quick hug. “I shall tell you how it goes after dinner.”

 

“I await it expectantly,” Maria smiled, kissing Jonas on the cheek before he left.

 

Jonas gave her one last smile before he ducked out of the study, setting course for the servants' quarters. He walked in silence and nervousness, bouncing on the balls of his feet every few steps to calm himself down.

 

Once he reached the quarters, he stepped in and scanned the room quickly.

 

“May I speak with Miss Maximoff?” he called out politely. One of the other handmaidens said she'd go retrieve her, and came back a few moments later with Wanda in tow. She looked sullen still, but when she saw Jonas, she immediately perked up.

 

“Your Royal Highness,” Wanda curtseyed, following Jonas out of the room. “What is it you wish to speak to me about?”

 

“I shall tell you once we are away from the quarters,” Jonas said softly, leading Wanda towards the courtyard. Once outside, he gestured for her to sit on one of the many stone benches with him and she did.

 

“We are alone now,” Wanda observed, glancing around the courtyard. “What is it you wished to say?”

 

“My mother has told me that upfront honesty is beneficial,” Jonas began. “I wish to be upfront and honest with you,” he added.

 

“About what?” Wanda asked, her heart racing.

 

Jonas took a deep breath, looking her directly in the eyes. His golden brown eyes met her crystal blue, and for a moment, all was silent save the chirping of the birds.

 

“I am in love with you,” Jonas said finally, voice barely above a whisper. “I believe I have been since my mother hired you five years ago. The first time I met you, I found you captivating and beautiful, and as I got to know you, I found out you were also a wonderful person.”

 

Wanda felt her breath hitch, her eyes widening and chest fluttering. She couldn't believe this was happening, that the prince was telling her this.

 

Her lack of reaction immediately made Jonas nervous, breaking their eye contact as a result. “Have I crossed a line?” he asked quietly, looking down at his hands.

 

Wanda shook her head, placing a hand on his cheek. At that, he looked back up and met her eyes once more.

 

“You have not,” Wanda assured him softly. “I am just shocked. I never imagined this would happen, the object of my affection telling me he is in love with me.”

 

“The object of your affection...?” Jonas trailed off, realization dawning on him.

 

Wanda nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I should be honest with you as well,” she said. “I have been in love with you since we met as well,” she muttered.

 

A smile spread across Jonas' face as he leaned his cheek against Wanda's hand, which was still cupping his face. He slowly leaned closer to Wanda, and she did the same.

 

Their lips met in a soft kiss, which was a long time coming. It stayed soft and gentle, Jonas' hand moving to cup the back of Wanda's neck and Wanda's other hand cupping Jonas' face as well.

 

When the two pulled apart, they leaned their foreheads together and smiled softly.

 

“I do not care what my father says,” Jonas said quietly. “I wish for you to be mine. Are you alright with that?”

 

“Yes,” Wanda muttered, her smile widening. “I am most certainly alright with that.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria has a lovely chat with the new lovers. The, Anthony drops in on his baby brother with some wonderful news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where this is going to end, but by damn am I going to finish this one. Have another fluff chapter.

Jonas decided to bring Wanda with him when he went back to talk to Maria, their hands entwined between them as they walked. They managed to avoid the other staff as they made their way to the study, which was a small blessing in itself.

 

Jonas knocked when they reached the door, and was immediately called in by his mother. He held the door for Wanda, closing it behind himself once he was in.

 

Maria looked up when the door closed, a smile on her face when she saw Jonas had brought Wanda. “I take it that it went well?” she asked knowingly, noticing that they were once again holding hands.

 

Jonas nodded, tugging Wanda softly over to the chair. He sat, pulling her down on his lap once he was sitting. She leaned back against him, one of his arms secured around her waist as if this were natural, something they'd done a hundred time.

 

Maria resisted the urge to coo at the way they were already comfortable with each other, settling on a warm smile. “I am happy for you, my son,” she said softly. “I can tell you will both be happy with each other.”

 

“Thank you, Mother,” Jonas smiled, resting his chin on Wanda's shoulder. Wanda managed to not flinch when he did so, reminding herself that this wasn't Arthur, this was Jonas, and Jonas wouldn't hurt her.

 

Wanda smiled back at Maria, unsure of what to say. She was still one of the Queen's handmaidens, so she wasn't sure how to go about speaking to her on the matter.

 

“Your father will inevitably find out,” Maria reminded Jonas, almost sadly. “When he does, I will talk to him. Love should not be severed for the sake of convenience. While Anthony did end up falling in love with Lady Virginia, the arrangement was for convenience at the beginning. Your father has an issue with love, and I am prepared to remind him what love truly is.”

 

Jonas was speechless for a few moments, though he did find his voice. “I am able to aid in this if needed,” he offered.

 

Maria smiled at him, nodding. “I will keep that in mind,” she said, turning her attention to Wanda. She looked pensive, as if trying to figure something out.

 

“Miss Maximoff?” Maria said, coaxing her out of her daze. “Are you alright?”

 

Wanda nodded. “I am simply thinking,” she said, finding her voice.

 

“What about?” Jonas asked curiously.

 

“You, mostly,” Wanda admitted. “As well as what the others will think,” she added, obviously talking about the other staff.

 

“They will learn to accept it,” Maria assured her. “Though when they initially find out, they may make false assumptions. Pay them no mind.”

 

Wanda nodded. “Okay,” she muttered. She could guess what some of those assumptions would be, and she didn't like them.

 

After a while of just talking back and forth and properly getting to know about Wanda's past, Jonas found out she had a twin brother named Pietro that lived in the village and operated a market stall. He and Wanda wrote letters back and forth, but she hadn't seen him since she was hired. Jonas felt bad about that, so he mentally began planning a trip into the village so she could see her brother again.

 

He also found out that her parents had been witches as well, passing their magical gifts down to both twins. Maria didn't seem angered or put-off by the witch thing, so that was good. Wanda had gained a new respect for the Queen during their chat, coming to see her as even more of a maternal figure than before. Wanda's own mother had died just before she was hired, so she'd been without a mother for five years.

 

By the time they bid Maria good night, it was after dark outside. Jonas walked Wanda back to the servants' quarters, stealing a quick kiss before she stepped inside. He headed back to his own chambers with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. Nothing could ruin this good mood he was in. Nothing.

 

When Jonas returned to his chambers, he found his brother sprawled across his bed with his arms folded over his chest.

 

“Anthony?” Jonas frowned, closing the door quietly and approaching his brother. “Is something wrong?”

 

“What, can I not drop in on my little brother?” Anthony asked, pretending to be hurt. He sat up, crossing his legs under himself. When Jonas gave him a look, he sighed. “Okay, okay. I heard that Mother called off your wedding to Lady Natalia at the last minute and I wanted to know why. Call me nosey.”

 

“I shall,” Jonas teased, sitting on the bed in front of Anthony and crossing his legs underneath himself. “She did it on her own will, because she believed I would want it,” he explained. “I... I have found love on my own, brother,” he added, waiting to gauge Anthony's response.

 

For his part, Anthony didn't seem too surprised. “Who would the lucky lady be?” he asked, smiling.

 

“One of Mother's handmaidens, Wanda Maximoff,” Jonas told him softly.

 

“The youngest one, right?” Anthony mused, earning a nod from Jonas. “I thought you two would end up together. You kept making eyes at each other when the other wasn't looking. God, it was sickening,” he teased, lightly punching Jonas' shoulder.

 

Jonas chuckled, rubbing the spot where Anthony punched him. “I was not aware that I did that,” he admitted.

 

“Oh, you do,” Anthony assured him. “All the time too. I am not even that bad with Virginia, and we happen to be married,” he pointed out.

 

“How is she, by the way?” Jonas asked, directing the conversation away from himself.

 

Anthony grinned. “She is quite well,” he said. “That is another reason I came to see you. Virginia is with child. I am going to be a father.” He sounded so excited, and it was infectious. Jonas found himself grinning back, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

 

“That is wonderful news, brother!” Jonas beamed. “How far along is she?”

 

“Not very far,” Anthony told him. “The healer suspects no more than two months. I am excited, Jonas. I want to be a good father.”

 

“I am sure you will be, Anthony,” Jonas assured him. “You will not be anything like Father, I am certain.”

 

“Thank you,” Anthony said softly. “I believe that myself, but it is wonderful to hear it from you.”

 

“Of course,” Jonas nodded. “I hope to one day have a child of my own,” he mused. “I am still young, however. I have plenty of time.”

 

Anthony chuckled. “I am sure your lady would like to know that,” he teased.

 

Jonas rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. “I will be sure to tell her,” he chuckled.

 

“I should return to Virginia,” Anthony stated. “She has been quite needy lately, and I do not wish to disappoint her.”

 

“Of course, brother,” Jonas nodded. “I send my regards to both you and your wife. Tell her as much, will you?”

 

“Why would I not?” Anthony smiled fondly, climbing off Jonas' bed and heading out of the room. “Just keep this quiet with Father for the time being, as I will do for you and your lady. We do not need an uproar.”

 

“I shall,” Jonas nodded. “Good night, brother.”

 

“Good night, Jonas,” Anthony called as he closed the door, heading back to Virginia.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every Sunday, the castle staff as the day off. The first Sunday after they got together, Jonas took Wanda into the village to visit someone special.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really fucking long. Oh well.

Maria had made habit long ago of giving the staff Sundays off for a break, so the first Sunday into their relationship, Jonas brought Wanda into the village. He didn't tell her why, he just told her to dress to go out and they set off on foot once she was ready.

 

Though her red dress was simple, as was the style for castle staff, Jonas couldn't keep his eyes away from her. The dress was evidently too small in he waist, meaning it needed to be altered. The skirt was a few inches short thanks to her growth spurt, and the sleeves were as well. However, she still looked nice, with her hair pulled up in a braided twist and a smile on her face. She rarely left the castle, and when she did, she didn't get to go into the village. She was excited, wondering what they would get to do. This could count as a first date, which made Wanda smile wider.

 

Jonas noticed her smiling and couldn't help but smile back. Her smile was infectious, spreading to all those around her. It was a beautiful smile, so it was no wonder why people wanted to smile back.

 

They walked hand in hand towards the village, Wanda occasionally getting distracted by some of the familiar sights from her childhood. Once they actually reached the village, Wanda had to pause and take in the sight of her old home, with all of the bustling people and brightly coloured market stalls. She knew that somewhere in that market, her dear brother was working for his pay, and it made her yearn to see him.

 

When they started walking again, Jonas seemed to have a specific destination in mind. Wanda followed him curiously, wondering where he was taking her.

 

Jonas eventually stopped in front of a seemingly unmanned stall with handmade jewelry on display, from necklaces to rings and anything else you could think of. Jonas tapped on the counter, which drew the attention of the owner of the stall. He was a man about Wanda's age, with silver hair and crystal blue eyes. It took a moment for Wanda to register the face of the man before she grinned widely and squealed softly.

 

“Pietro!” she said happily.

 

The man, Pietro, was momentarily taken aback before he realized who it was that was greeting him. “Wanda!” he grinned, hopping the counter of his stall to pull his sister into a tight hug. She let go of Jonas' hand to hug him back, burying her face in he crook of his neck. Five years without her brother was five years too many.

 

Jonas stood back, smiling as the twins reunited. He had decided when he heard Wanda hadn't seen her brother in five years that he would take into the village to see him at the earliest possibly time. He knew it was the right choice, because her face absolutely lit up when she saw her brother, and she was so happy it made Jonas smile.

 

When the twins pulled apart, Pietro looked over to the man who had been with his sister when she arrived at his stall. He gave him a quick once-over, eyes widening when he realized who his sister was with.

 

“Wanda, _sororis_ ,” Pietro muttered near his sister's ear. “Is that the prince that you arrived with?” he asked quietly, as to not draw Jonas' attention.

 

Wanda nodded, turning to face Pietro. “It is,” she told him, smiling.

 

“But why?” Pietro asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

 

Wanda glanced over to Jonas to silently make sure it was okay to tell him, and got a nod in response. She turned back to Pietro and leaned in close to his ear. “We are together,” she whispered, which made Pietro's eyes widen.

 

“You... and the prince?” Pietro muttered, trying to wrap his head around it all.

 

Wanda nodded. “It is a... long story,” she said. “But not one for right now. Now is time for stories of the last five years for _you_. Mine have been uniform and similar, but you, you live out here in the village. Everything changes everyday!”

 

Pietro chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I sold a necklace to a man who wanted to give it to his horse last week,” he commented.

 

“Odd,” Wanda muttered, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Not as odd as the man who bought a wooden ring for his son,” Pietro shrugged.

 

“We should sit somewhere,” Wanda suggested. “Standing for too long puts a strain on my back.”

 

“There is a clearing not far from here,” Pietro commented, moving to lead he way. Wanda and Jonas followed behind him, hands entwined once more.

 

Once they were seated in the clearing under a sprawling oak tree, Wanda resumed her line of question.

 

“Have you found someone yet?” she asked, leaning against Jonas' shoulder with his arm around hers.

 

“I have, actually,” Pietro smiled fondly. “His name is Robert.” He didn't know how his sister would react to that, seeing as he'd never had the chance to tell her he was attracted to other men before she left for the castle.

 

Wanda blinked a few times, processing. “A... man?” she muttered. She didn't seem disgusted, just confused and a little hurt. Why hadn't he told her in one of his letters?

 

Pietro nodded slowly. “He works the stall next to mine in the market,” he said. “He sells figurines made of clay and wax.”

 

“How long have you been together?” Wanda asked, still frowning.

 

“About a year,” Pietro muttered. He knew he should've told Wanda in one of his letters, but he didn't know how she would react to that.

 

Wanda pulled up a handful of grass and threw it at Pietro. “Pietro Django Maximoff,” she said fake-threateningly, “why didn't you tell me this before?”

 

“I was scared,” Pietro admitted, brushing grass out of his hair. “I was scared you would stop sending me letters altogether because you were disgusted with me. A witch _and_ attracted to other men? I would be executed. I did not want you to be the one to turn me in.”

 

“Pietro,” Wanda said softly, placing a hand on his knee. “I could never stop sending you letters. You are my twin. I am not disgusted, and I certainly will not turn you over,” she said firmly. “And neither will he,” she added, nodding towards Jonas. Jonas nodded to show his support, though he stayed silent.

 

Pietro seemed to relax, the tension in his shoulders melting away. “Would you like to meet him?” he asked. “He should be closing up for lunch around now,” he said, glancing up at the sky.

 

“Of course, _fratrem_ ,” Wanda smiled, standing with Pietro. Jonas stood as well, taking Wanda's hand in his own as they headed back to the market.

 

Indeed, it seemed as if the brunette man in the stall next to Pietro's was preparing for lunch. He placed all of his figurines under the counter and hidden away, jumping over the counter and grinning when he saw Pietro. He went over, making sure no one was looking before he quickly kissed his cheek in greeting.

 

“Hello, _mea_ ,” Robert smiled, looking over at Wanda and Jonas with a frown. He recognized Jonas as the prince, but the woman at his side wasn't familiar. “Why is the prince following you around?” he asked in concern. The prince seemed unfazed by his display of affection, so that was good.

 

“Robert, this is my sister, Wanda,” Pietro said, gesturing to the woman in question. “I told you about her, remember? She works in the castle.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Wanda,” Robert smiled, offering her his hand to shake. “Pietro speaks highly of you.”

 

“He does, now does he?” Wanda asked in amusement, shaking his hand.

 

“He does,” Robert nodded. “He misses you,” he added quietly. “But why the prince?” he asked, turning back to Pietro.

 

“It seems the prince and my dear sister have become a package deal,” Pietro told him, which made Robert nod in understanding.

 

“I wish the two of you the best,” Robert said with a polite bow. He figured that a handmaiden in a relationship with a prince would raise a few eyebrows, but they didn't seem to care. “Oh, I should probably introduce myself!” he realized afterwards. “Robert Drake. I sell figurines in the market.”

 

“It is wonderful to meet you, Robert,” Wanda smiled. “You evidently care for my brother a great deal if you have been together this long.”

 

“I like to think I do,” Robert smiled. “Now, shall we get something for lunch?” he suggested. “I can make soup?” he offered.

 

“That sounds lovely,” Wanda smiled. She very rarely ate more than soup, but she had grown quite fond of it.

 

Robert smiled, motioning for the other three to follow him. He and Pietro had a little place of their own, living under the guise of best friends. He led Jonas and Wanda, while Pietro went ahead of them to make sure the place was clean enough, since they were hosting the prince of all people.

 

When they reached their place, Robert held the door for Wanda and Jonas, who both thanked him with a smile.

 

Inside, the place wasn't very big, but it was cozy. It was all one room, with a bed on one wall and a fire pit near another for cooking soup. There was a table with four chairs, and that seemed to be it. It was a nice little place, Wanda decided.

 

Pietro had made sure the place was clean before they entered, mostly using magic because it was faster. He directed Wanda and Jonas to the table, and the two sat next to each other. Robert and Pietro went about collecting ingredients for soup, throwing them in the pot with some water. Robert stayed to watch the soup while Pietro went to sit at the table.

 

“It's your turn to share,” Pietro hummed. “How did you and the prince become a thing?” he asked innocently.

 

“As I said, it is a long story,” Wanda muttered, leaning on Jonas' shoulder. “It happened last week, give or take a few days.”

 

“So not long,” Pietro observed.

 

Wanda nodded. “The catalyst was not pleasant,” she muttered.

 

“What happened?” Pietro asked in concern. Had someone tried to hurt his dear sister?

 

Wanda took a deep breath, reminding herself it was all in the past and it wouldn't hurt to talk about. “I was sweeping outside Jonas' chambers,” she began. “Another member of the staff, Arthur Millbrook, was down the hall sweeping. He kept moving closer to be, eventually abandoning his broom altogether. He... he wrapped his arms around me from behind, telling me he was admiring my form and that my opinion had no bearing on whether or not he would. He started kissing my neck, even though I kept telling him to stop. My magic, it flared up and burned him, which made him shove me up against a wall because he said, and I quote, 'you can't say no now or I tell your superior'. He forced a kiss onto me and pinned me to the wall so I couldn't move. Jonas, he came up and pulled Arthur off of me and fired him for assaulting me.” She could only get that far, her voice breaking as she spoke. Jonas squeezed her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

 

“After Mr. Millbrook scurried off, I sat with her while she cried,” Jonas continued as Wanda calmed herself down. “She asked why I helped her, and I told her I cared about her. There was an embrace that lasted for quite some time, and we shared a bed that night.”

 

Pietro nodded along as the story was told, though he was silently planning on visiting Arthur once he was back in the village. He knew him from before he was hired at the castle, and he'd been a creep back then. “I thank you for looking after my sister,” he told Jonas with a nod.

 

“I always will,” Jonas promised.

 

“Thank you,” Pietro nodded again.

 

It wasn't long before bowls of hot soup were placed on the table, Robert sitting in the chair next to Pietro. The four lapsed into silence as they ate their soup, Wanda finally calming down after telling her story. Arthur couldn't hurt her anymore, couldn't get anywhere near her without Jonas knowing.

 

Once they finished their soup, Wanda offered to collect the bowls and bring them to the washing bucket, placing them in to soak. She returned to the table and reclaimed her previous spot, smiling thankfully at Robert and Pietro.

 

Jonas leaned in to whisper into Wanda's ear, and whatever he'd said had made her smile and nod enthusiastically. He then turned to Pietro and Robert with a small smile.

 

“We have an opening, in the castle staff,” Jonas said. “I am sure I can convince my mother to hire both of you in Mr. Millbrook's place. Only if you would take the jobs, however. You have your stalls here in the market.”

 

Robert and Pietro shared a look, seeming to communicate without words.

 

“We would be honoured to work for you, your Highness,” Pietro said finally. “Our stalls have not been selling many wares as of the last few months.”

 

Jonas smiled warmly at them. “I will converse with my mother upon my return, and have Wanda send you a letter via pigeon with the verdict.”

 

“Speaking of, we should be returning soon,” Wanda mused. “I believe your brother wanted to speak with you before dinner.”

 

Jonas nodded, standing up. “It was lovely meeting you both,” he nodded to Pietro and Robert.

 

Wanda stood with him, moving to hug her brother. “I do hope you get the jobs,” she said encouragingly. “I miss you terribly.”

 

“And I miss you,” Pietro muttered, hugging her back.

 

Jonas smiled at the pair. He and Anthony were close, but they weren't as close as the twins, he could tell.

 

When Wanda made her way back over to his side and took his hand, the two set off back to the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In regards to my choice of partner for Pietro, my friend and I are part of a forum on fanfiction wherein we decided Quicksilver and Iceman would be adorable together, so we made it a thing. Now it's here. Nice.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything was fine, until it wasn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't know how to end this. Oh well.

Queen Maria had agreed to hiring Pietro and Robert without a second thought. They were moved into the servants' quarters the next morning, given their duties that afternoon. Robert was placed in the kitchen, while Pietro was to do general cleaning around the castle.

 

After a few weeks of this, being with Wanda and having the other two around the castle, there was an incident with King Howard.

 

Howard was meant to be in another kingdom for the next week to discuss a possible marriage for Jonas. He had heard about the letter from Maria to Lady Natalia, and he wasn't pleased. He wanted his son married off for the betterment of the kingdom, but he just couldn't find someone.

 

While Howard was gone, Maria had taken to fussing over Wanda as if she were her own daughter, making sure she was well. She did the same for Pietro and Robert, as she had grown fond of the two during their time in the castle. The four of them, along with Jonas, Anthony, and Virginia, would have dinner together as a family when Howard was gone. Howard didn't approve of staff in the dining hall unless they were serving, least of all approving of staff eating in the dining hall with his family. Maria couldn't care less about Howard's opinion on the matter. She had effectively adopted these children as her own, much like she had done with Jonas all those years ago. If Howard had a problem with it, he could take it up with her personally.

 

The second day Howard was gone, the seven of them had sat down for lunch in the dining hall, chatting amongst themselves. Jonas had voiced his distaste towards Howard's quest to marry him off to some random woman for 'the betterment of the kingdom'. Maria assured him that he would convince Howard that he shouldn't be married without meeting the woman in advanced. Jonas was grateful for that, as he wanted time to convince Howard he should marry whomever he wanted.

 

During their lunch, they had no idea that Howard had returned three days early. The king he was meeting had declined his proposal, saying his daughter was already promised to another. He got home just in time for lunch, changing into something more presentable before heading for the dining hall. When he stepped into the room, he immediately frowned. There were far to many people in the dining hall, and they were _laughing_ and seemingly having a good time. He recognized his wife, his sons, and Lady Virginia, but the other three he did not. He frowned as he moved closer, still not seen.

 

When Howard witnessed one of the unknowns at the table, the only female, lean over towards Jonas and kiss his cheek, he decided to make his presence known. He cleared his throat, which plunged the room into silence. No longer was there laughter, replaced with fearful silence.

 

From his spot near the table, Howard directed his gaze at Maria questioningly and accusingly, frowning his disapproval. “My dearest, what is going on?” he asked blankly, voice devoid of emotion.

 

Maria sat straighter, meeting Howard's steely gaze with her own. “What does it look like, my dear?” she shot back, equally as emotionless.

 

“It looks like you have invited the staff to sit in the dining hall, which is reserved for family and guests,” Howard said flatly, still glaring at his wife.

 

“No unspoken rules have been broken,” Maria said, standing and walking over to Howard. “These children are _my_ children now.” There was an unspoken challenge in her voice, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. “They have no families of their own, and I have appointed myself their mother.”

 

“They are _staff_ ,” Howard reminded her stiffly, crossing his own arms over his chest.

 

“I do not care,” Maria said challengingly. “They need a family, and I have elected to give them one. I will not hear any arguments from you, no matter how compelling you think they may be.”

 

Howard resisted the urge to scowl, though he did frown. “That does not explain the girl and her proximity to Jonas,” he reminded her.

 

It was Jonas' turn to stand up, moving to stand beside his mother. He had a look of defiance in his golden-brown eyes, his arms crossed over his chest. “I appreciate your efforts to find me a suitable bride, Father. However, I will inform you that your efforts are in vain.”

 

“And what does that mean?” Howard nearly snapped, his glare moving from his wife to his youngest son.

 

“I believe I have found a suitable bride for myself,” Jonas said plainly, glancing back at Wanda. She gave him an encouraging nod and a smile, which gave him renewed confidence.

 

“You believe you have... You are too young to make that kind of decision for yourself,” Howard snapped. “It is the discretion of the king as to whom you marry, and if you've forgotten, that is _me_.”

 

“It is also at the discretion of the _queen_ ,” Maria said sharply. “And the queen's say in the marriage outweighs that of the king. Or have you forgotten the laws set by your own father when we were to be wed?”

 

The coloured drained from Howard's face, unable to come up with a response. He simply turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving the others in the dining hall.

 

The minute Howard was gone, Wanda was on her feet and at Jonas' side. She pulled him into a tight hug, which made him relax considerably.

 

“I am proud of you,” Wanda muttered into his shoulder. “You stood up to your father and defended us.”

 

“Of course I did,” Jonas muttered, wrapping his arms around Wanda. “I love you. I do not wish to wed a stranger from another kingdom when I have you by my side.”

 

A coo came from Robert, who had moved to sit on Pietro's lap. “You two are adorable,” he chuckled.

 

“I will go talk to your father,” Maria said softly, leaving the room. Jonas and Wanda went to sit back down, Virginia having excused herself during the fight. Anthony was sitting in his usual spot, oddly silent on the whole matter.

 

“Anthony?” Jonas muttered, sitting across from his brother. “Are you alright?” he asked quietly.

 

“I do not like when you fight,” Anthony mumbled, looking down at the table.

 

“Nor do I, brother,” Jonas sighed. “I did not think he would be home today.”

 

“He was due home the end of the week, not today,” Anthony muttered. “Why did he come back?”

 

“Maybe he was declined,” Pietro suggested. “That happens sometimes.”

 

“Maybe,” Jonas nodded.

 

The rest of lunch went by in a tense silence, Maria returning after yelling at her husband for a half hour. He was scared of her when she did that, and usually listened to what she had to say.

 

After lunch, everyone dispersed and went their separate ways, though Maria returned to Howard for another round of yelling.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter involves alcoholism, and a brief mention of domestic abuse. This is just a warning.

Howard had began distancing himself from his family, turning to the drink. More often than not, he was drunk. Maria had to keep him sober for important public events, like the announcement that Anthony and Virginia were expecting. Other than that, he was in his study, drinking. Maria had effectively taken over rule of the kingdom, though the people were not concerned. They had suspected Maria was running the country from the beginning anyway, now it was just official.

 

Nearing the end of the season, as the heat slowly chilled and the leaves began to fade, Howard was nearly always drunk. He wouldn't leave his study, not even to eat, and everyone was beginning to worry about him. He was aggressive with the staff that brought him his meals, and when Maria tried to calm him, she wound up beaten and bruised. The first time her boys saw her like that, they knew it was time to take action.

 

Wanda and Pietro agreed to aid with their magic, while Robert was on standby if anything happened. He'd been trained as a healer, so he was there if they got injured.

 

The intervention happened on the fall equinox. The chill in the air penetrated the castle walls, causing the inhabitants to shiver. Not Howard though. He was too drunk to be cold.

 

The boys and the twins approached Howard's study cautiously, Pietro scoping the room with his magic to make sure Howard wasn't hostile. Pietro gave he all clear, and Anthony knocked on the door.

 

“Go away!” Howard yelled, but the foursome didn't listen. Anthony pushed open the door, the four slipping in. However, the twins cloaked themselves in invisibility magic, making them unseen by Howard. All the drunk man saw was his sons, looking concerned.

 

“Father...” Jonas muttered, closing the door. “We are worried about you.”

 

“Why? There is nothing wrong,” Howard slurred, gripping his bottle a little too tightly.

 

“Father, you have turned to the drink,” Anthony said bluntly. “It has been nearly two months. We are worried you are going to drink yourself to death.”

 

“I will not be doing anything of the sort!” Howard said, though he wasn't as assertive as he thought he was.

 

“Mother does not think that,” Jonas said. It was a low blow, bringing Maria into this, but it was necessary for what they were going to do.

 

“Your mother does not know her head from her own feet,” Howard said viciously, waving his bottle around and splashing alcohol on his shirt.

 

“That is false and you know it,” Anthony said, almost abandoning the plan to swing a punch at Howard.

 

“It is the truth,” Howard defended, spilling more on his shirt.

 

Jonas held two fingers up behind his back, signalling the twins to be prepared. The feeling of a hand on his shoulder told him they were ready.

 

“Father, you need to stop this,” Anthony said, frowning. “We need you, the kingdom needs you.”

 

Howard snorted, shaking his head viciously. “Nobody needs me, apparently! I am just a figurehead, something to look at but not to function.”

 

Jonas felt a lump forming in his throat. He had to keep telling himself it wasn't his fault that his father had turned to the drink, but there was a little voice in the back of his head that told him Howard didn't start until after the lunch fight two months prior.

 

Wanda placed a phantom hand on his shoulder, able to understand what he was thinking without actually entering his head.

 

“That is not true, Father,” Anthony said quietly. “You are a functioning member of the royal family, more so than any of us.”

 

Howard snorted again. “I was replaced by my _wife_ ,” he reminded Anthony darkly. “When I showed the slightest bit of failure, she took over. And everyone loves her. I know I do, but so do they!”

 

He admitted he still loved her. Maybe there was hope of recovery yet. Jonas told himself that to make himself feel better about all of this.

 

Anthony felt a metaphorical stone settled in his chest. He was able to admit he still loved Maria, but he couldn't see his worth. Maybe he was too far gone.

 

Anthony felt a hand on his shoulder, and he knew it was Pietro. Pietro was caring by nature, and he always knew when somebody needed comfort. Anthony appreciated him for that, because he needed comfort a lot in the last two months. Pietro truly was becoming like a brother to him, despite only knowing him for a short period of time.

 

The two princes fell silent when Howard seemed to start choking on nothing, rushing to his side. Anthony tried to hit him on the back to stop the choking, but it didn't work. Jonas took the bottle out of his hand and placed it on the desk, leaning him forward so his chest was resting on his knees.

 

“Father?” Anthony said frantically. “Are you alright?”

 

The lack of response was concerning as Howard continued choking, and there was nothing they were doing that fixed it.

 

When the choking did stop, it seemed to be on its own volition. The end of the choking fit saw Howard's body slump forward, as if lifeless. The thought immediately crossed both of their minds to check if he was breathing.

 

He wasn't, and they both felt tears prickling behind their eyes.

 

The twins made themselves visible again, rushing over to the princes. Wanda checked with her magic to see if he was still alive, and solemnly came back with a 'no'. That sent the boys over the edge, tears spilling freely down their cheeks. Wanda pulled Jonas into a tight hug, allowing him to cry into her hair.

 

Anthony turned to Pietro for comfort, which he was freely given. Neither prince said anything for the longest time, simply crying on their respective Maximoff.

 

When the finished crying, the twins led them out of the room and past Robert, who immediately followed behind worriedly. Anthony never cried, but he had just been sobbing. Something mus have happened.

 

They ended up in Maria's study, her two boys sitting with her as they explained what had happened.

 

“He... he died, right in front of us, Mother,” Anthony muttered, leaning heavily on her side. “We watched him die. We tried to save him, bu we could not.”

 

“The drink really did kill him in the end,” Jonas said darkly, his head in his hands. Wanda was on his other side, running a hand up and down his back to calm him down.

 

Maria kissed both of them on the tops of their heads, wrapping them in a hug. “My boys...” she muttered. “The last of my boys.” She sounded sad, which she was. Despite everything that had happened recently with Howard, she did still love him, and he was gone. She would miss him, but the him before the drink who was a loyal husband and dedicated father.

 

They spent the next few hours, the five of them, discussing plans for Howard's funeral. The castle's healer had been sent to retrieve the body and prepare it as they talked, meaning they had a day at most to plan.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many things happen in the span of a few months, including a coronation, a proposal, and a birth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting close to wear I want to end it, so yay! This is mostly just fluff, so enjoy.

It had been a month since Howard's funeral. Maria was now the proper leader of the country due to her husband's death, but she was leaning towards stepping down and crowning Anthony the King. She didn't know if she could handle sole leadership, as she was used to ruling beside Howard. Sitting in the throne room felt hollow and lonely, as she was meant to have someone by her side.

 

When Maria brought this up to Anthony, he initially declined. Virginia was fast approaching her due date, and he would soon have a baby to deal with. However, he did come around by the next week. His coronation was planned, and he was officially crowned the week after.

 

Now King, Anthony found life much different. He had diplomatic meetings every other day with nobility and royalty from other kingdoms, as well as constant letter writing to the kingdoms that were too far away for travel. It was intense, but he managed to do it.

 

A month after Anthony became King, Jonas and Wanda had been lying in bed, as Wanda had basically moved into Jonas' room around Howard's death, Wanda's head on Jonas' chest as he ran a hand through her hair.

 

“We should get married,” Jonas muttered absently, though he knew exactly what he was saying.

 

Wanda shifted so she could look Jonas in the eye, frowning ever-so-slightly. “Are you sure?” she asked softly, though she would readily say yes if he was.

 

Jonas nodded firmly. “I am sure.” With Anthony as King, there was truly nothing stopping hem from marrying. Anthony already saw Wanda as family, as well as Pietro and Robert. Marriage, at this point, would be a formality. A public display to show their love, as well as a private thing for their family to fuss over.

 

“Then yes,” Wanda beamed, leaning in to kiss Jonas softly. With one hand still in her hair, Jonas kissed back. He felt a welcome heat blossom in his chest at the idea of marrying Wanda. They were already happy, and they loved each other. Marriage was the next logical step in his mind, and it seemed to be in Wanda's as well.

 

The next morning after breakfast, Jonas presented Wanda with a ring to make their engagement 'official'. It was a family heirloom, belonging to his maternal grandmother. Virginia wore the engagement ring of their paternal grandmother, as well as the matching wedding band. Jonas had been given the maternal rings, while Anthony was given the paternal.

 

The ring itself was beautiful, with a thin gold band and various stones. The largest stone was a white diamond, with three stones on either side. The first on either side was a sapphire, the next a ruby, and the final an emerald. It took Wanda's breath away when it was presented to her, in front of the family, and slid onto her finger. She heard a cheer from Pietro and Anthony when she was pulled in for a quick kiss, which made her chuckle.

 

Having that ring on her hand made the engagement feel more real. She had a token of Jonas' love with her always, which doubled as a promise of lifelong commitment and love. Whenever she caught sight of the ring, she felt her heart flutter. If someone told her two years ago she would be engaged to the prince of Augmentis, she would've laughed in their face. Now though, she would nod and smile at them and show them her ring. She felt like a little girl playing princess again, longing to be whisked away by her Prince Charming. In a way, she had. Her Prince Charming had rescued her from an attacker, after all.

 

It was not long after the engagement that Virginia went into labour. The castle's healer was called to the chambers she shared with Anthony, and the family sat in various places around the room to witness the birth. Pietro and Robert were sitting on the floor near the door, Robert situated on Pietro's lap with Pietro's arms around his waist and his chin on his shoulder. Anthony was by his wife's side, Maria not much farther. Jonas and Wanda were sitting on the bench under the window, Jonas' arm around Wanda.

 

At some point, Pietro had fallen asleep, only to be awoken by the sound of a screaming baby. The birth had taken quite some time, so no one could blame him for falling asleep.

 

Anthony and Virginia named their little girl Evelyn, a beautiful name for a girl who would no doubt grow into a beautiful woman like her mother.

 

Pietro and Robert were chosen as godparents, as unconventional as it was. They couldn't have children of their own, so Anthony wanted to at least have them help raise Evelyn.

 

The night following Evelyn's birth, very few members of the family got any sleep. Anthony and Virginia were being constantly awoken by the cries of their daughter, Pietro and Robert were up late into the night doing... adult things, and Jonas and Wanda were talking.

 

Lying in bed, her head on Jonas' chest, it was Wanda's turn to surprise Jonas. “We should have children,” she muttered, draping an arm over Jonas' waist. “We could start out own family the way Anthony and Virginia have, become parents.”

 

“I would love that,” Jonas smiled, his arm around Wanda. “We would make wonderful parents,” he mused. “Much like they will.”

 

Wanda nodded, settling in closer to him as she drifted off to sleep. “I love you,” she muttered as she fell asleep, half on top of Jonas.

 

“And I love you,” Jonas smiled softly, falling asleep soon after.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Wanda and Jonas began finalizing the details of their wedding, Wanda must seek out the castle's healer to answer a startling question for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Closer and closer to the end. Maybe two more chapters, three max. I've been writing for over twelve hours straight. Do not send help. I will finish this.

Baby Evelyn was quite the handful. She cried late into the night, keeping her poor parents awake until dawn taking care of her. On the nights prior to any diplomatic trip Anthony and Virginia had to take, Evelyn was left with her godparents, and she kept them awake until dawn. Pietro and Robert never complained, however. This was the closest they would probably ever get to becoming parents, and they would relish it in when given the opportunity.

 

By the time Evelyn was six months old, she had mellowed considerably. She slept through the nights, and wouldn't throw food anymore. Her parents were grateful for that, as it seemed they were being called away from the kingdom more and more since she was born. What time they did get to spend with her was spent playing and having fun rather then fussing over her.

 

During those six months, Jonas and Wanda had been planning their wedding, with Maria's help. It wasn't going to be a huge spectacle like Anthony's was when he married Virginia, rather something small and simple. Wanda had helped design her own dress, which was simple yet symbolic of herself. She kept the designs away from Jonas, sneaking off to meet with the seamstress with Maria and Virginia by her sides.

 

As the date drew closer and the fittings were finalized, Wanda found some of her dresses fitting much too tightly. They had been altered for her, as she didn't want to just get new ones, she was too attached to the ones she had, but they were getting tight in the stomach area for some reason. She took her favourite one to the seamstress to see if she could figure out why it was getting tighter with each passing week.

 

When she brought the dress in, the seamstress glanced between it and Wanda before shaking her head in amusement.

 

“It is not the dress that is the problem, my lady,” the seamstress chuckled, moving around her counter to stand in front of Wanda. “It is _you_.”

 

“Me?” Wanda frowned, adjusting the dress on her arms. “What about me?”

 

“Think, my lady. Why would your dresses be getting tighter in that one area alone?” the seamstress stated, a knowing smirk on her face.

 

Wanda looked puzzled for a few moments before her eyes widened in realization. “Oh. _Oh,_ ” she muttered, nodding to the seamstress before quickly dashing out of the shop to return home to the castle. If the seamstress was insinuating what Wanda believed she was, Wanda needed to find a healer to make sure. She was to be married in two weeks' time, so if she was going to find out, it best be now.

 

When she arrived back at the castle, she placed her dress back in the closet before she sought out the healer, a lovely man named Bruce. Bruce had a calming voice and a gentle touch, never over-complicating things for his patients.

 

Knocking on his door, Wanda was allowed inside. Once inside the room, she absently placed a hand on her stomach, palm laying flat across it.

 

“Bruce?” she muttered. “I was wondering if you could check something for me.”

 

“What would that be, Wanda?” Bruce asked with a slight frown, noticing the hand on her stomach.

 

“I...” Wanda trailed off, not sure she wanted to say. Of course she had to, Bruce was the healer. He was the only person who could tell her the truth on the matter. “I believe I may be with child,” she said finally, biting her lower lip.

 

Bruce removed his stethoscope from around his neck, gesturing for Wanda to lay down on his table. She did as instructed, her heart racing in her chest. If she was, would they have to put off the wedding? She hoped not. Quite a lot of planning had gone into it, and she wouldn't want to put it off for something like this. She would just need to get her dress altered again, is all.

 

The feeling of Bruce's stethoscope on her stomach brought her out of her thoughts, her mind carefully tracking each movement. Bruce's usual look on concentration was on his face as he examined her, eyes squinted and jaw set firmly. When he pulled the stethoscope away, Wanda looked at him expectantly.

 

Bruce's look of concentration slipped away, replaced with a genuine smile. “I believe a congratulations in in order,” he said kindly.

 

“Are you sure?” Wanda muttered, sitting up. She was biting her bottom lip again, worrying it between her teeth.

 

“As sure as I can be,” Bruce nodded. “It looks like you are going to be a mother.”

 

Wanda honestly felt light-headed in that moment. She wanted a family of her own, she truly did, but she hadn't expected to become with child so soon, and so close to her wedding day. She slid off the table, bidding Bruce a good afternoon and returning to her chambers.

 

Sitting heavily on the bed, Wanda placed the palm of her hand on her stomach as she laid back, head resting on the pillow.

 

“Hello, little one,” she muttered, even though her child probably could not hear her. “You have decided to come at a very odd time. See, your father and I are getting married soon. Two weeks, to be precise. I am excited for you, I truly am, however you have made things a little difficult. My dress will need many more alterations because of you, but I am not angry. I could never be angry at such a blessing, but I do wish you could have come later.” She probably sounded ridiculous, talking to her stomach, but nobody was around to see her do it.

 

After all the excitement of the day, Wanda fell asleep with her hand still splayed across her stomach, curling into a little ball on the bed. Jonas found her like that an hour later, chuckling softly as he pulled the quilt over her shoulders to keep her warm. He kissed her forehead before he left again, needing to discuss a few things with Anthony and Maria about the wedding.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding. That's it. Just wedding fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probs one more chapter then an epilogue, so bear with me for another hour or so as I write them.

It took Wanda a week to work up the nerve to tell Jonas. She had spent the entire week trying to figure out how she should tell him, finally deciding on the direct approach. No need to beat around the bush, might as well just be upfront and honest like he was the day they first kissed.

 

She had sent for him to be brought back to their chambers once he was done speaking with Anthony, so she was sitting cross-legged in the middle of their bed with her hands folded nervously in her lap. She knew he wanted a family, a family with _her_ , but she still wasn't sure how he'd react when she told him.

 

Wanda was sitting on the bed for a half hour before Jonas returned. When he saw how nervous his bride-to-be was, he sat next to her on the bed and frowned, a hand between her shoulders.

 

“Are you alright, my dearest?” Jonas asked, frowning when she seemed to flinch away from his touch. Had something happened again? He hoped not. If something had, he would have to speak with the person in question at length, and he wasn't prepared for that right now.

 

“I am fine, my love,” Wanda assured him, not realizing she had flinched. “There is, however, something I must tell you before we are wed.”

 

“What is it?” Jonas frowned, his hand falling to the bed.

 

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Wanda spoke. “Last week... I went to see the healer,” she began. “My dresses had begun to get tight in one particular area, and the seamstress suggested I go visit him.”

 

“Why would you need to visit him about your dresses being too small?” Jonas frowned, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

 

“Jonas, they were getting too small in the stomach,” Wanda told him softly. Realization quickly damned on Jonas, his eyes widening considerable. Wanda couldn't help but chuckle at how adorably comical it was, seeing him all shocked and wide-eyed.

 

“You mean to say...” he trailed off, not quite able to form a complete sentence.

 

Wanda nodded, a smile forming where a frown had been all week. “I spoke with Bruce to confirm what the seamstress suspected.”

 

“What did he say?” Jonas asked, finally able to form a sentence, though his eyes were still wide as saucers.

 

“I am with child, my love. We are to be parents,” Wanda told him, her smile spreading. Jonas pulled her into a hug, nuzzling his nose into her hair as she hugged him back.

 

Over the course of the next week, Wanda had the alterations on her dress finalized to make sure it would fit properly. She wasn't growing very much, but it was enough to warrant a few more alterations here and there. Jonas, meanwhile, had been sworn to secrecy by Wanda about the whole thing, which he was having a hard time with. He wanted to at least tell his mother, but Wanda said that the both of them would tell the family after they were married. He managed to not say anything the entire week, which was a task in and of itself.

 

Their wedding day finally arrived, and both were nervous. Wanda was pacing back and forth in Maria's chambers, her future mother-in-law sitting under the window as Wanda fretted.

 

“Wanda, _cara_ , you will put a rut in the floor if you keep it up,” Maria chided, motioning for her to come sit. Wanda did, falling onto the bench with a quiet 'thud'. “You will be fine,” she assured Wanda, turning her so Maria could braid her hair and put it up in a twist. Virginia was coming by soon with a few flowers for Wanda's hair from the garden, so Maria wanted to make sure it as done before then.

 

“I hope so,” Wanda muttered, her hand on her stomach once more. It had become a comfort tactic since she found out she was expecting. She could pretend her child could feel her hand, feel the love she already felt for it.

 

As Maria braided her hair, Wanda began humming to herself. It was an old lullaby her mother used to sing to her, and it never failed to calm her down, even now on her wedding day. She felt her mother's love when she hummed the lullaby, remembered all of the good things she did with her mother. She missed her mother, well and truly, but she had found another maternal figure in Queen Maria. While nobody could replace Marya Maximoff, Maria was her own entity in Wanda's life.

 

By the time Maria was done with her hair, Virginia had arrived with the flowers. She had two in hand, one white rose and one red, both long-stemmed. She handed them to Maria, who wove them into the braided twist beautifully, so both blossoms poked out the top of the twist.

 

“You look beautiful, Wanda,” Virginia smiled softly. “Jonas will not be able to keep his eyes off of you.”

 

“That was the idea,” Wanda joked, turning to Maria. Maria looked like she was so proud of Wanda, like Wanda was her ow daughter on her wedding day.

 

Tucking a few loose strands of hair behind Wanda's ear, Maria got her to stand so she could put on her dress.

 

The dress was simple, even with all of the alterations. While still being the more traditional white, the inside of the sleeves, as well as the trim around the sleeves, the bottom of the skirt, and the collar were all scarlet red, a favourite colour of Wanda's. As Virginia and Maria worked on tying up the back of the dress, Wanda told them it needed to be looser. She didn't why, just telling them not to tie it so tightly. Bruce had warned her about tight corsets during her second visit, advising her to loosen her wedding gown to avoid unneeded pressure to her stomach.

 

Once she was all laced up in her dress, Maria and Virginia started fussing over the last few details of her appearance, adjusting the flowers and dress every so often so they were perfect. Wanda had to bat their hands away, as they were doing more harm than good. They backed off, but not before they both pulled Wanda in for a hug.

 

“Just as you should be, you will be the centre of attention,” Virginia smiled, cupping Wanda's cheek in her hand. She dropped her hand to her side after a moment, still smiling warmly. Wanda was truly her little sister at this point, and she was happy for her.

 

It wasn't long before they were to meet everyone at the chapel. Anthony, Pietro, and Robert were with Jonas, getting him ready and getting him to the chapel on time. They got there ten minutes early, by some ridiculous miracle, and Jonas was standing at the alter as his brother and friends sat in the front row. It was just going to be the family at the wedding, the way it should be.

 

The organ player in the corner began playing when he saw Virginia slip into the chapel and sit next to Anthony, the minister standing up straighter. Everyone turned towards the doors at the back of the chapel, where Maria led Wanda through. As expected, Jonas' lungs stopped working when he saw Wanda, and there was probably a stupid look on his face as he watched her and his mother walk up to the alter.

 

Once they reached the alter, Maria pecked Wanda's cheek before going to sit with everyone else, leaving Wanda to link hands with Jonas at the alter. The smile she gave him was wide and brilliant, nothing compared to the one he returned.

 

The minister began the service, but neither Wanda nor Jonas was paying much attention to him. They were too bust staring at each other to pay attention, though they did manage to catch the parts they had to say.

 

Their first kiss as a married couple was full of emotion and hidden meaning. Pietro and Robert let out teasing cheers as they kissed, Maria simply shaking her head fondly.

 

When the two broke apart, they couldn't help but glance down at the rings on their hands. Wanda's was a simplified version of her engagement ring, and Jonas' was a simple gold band with the same small stones as Wanda's.

 

“Time to tell them?” Jonas muttered as they left the chapel hand in hand, his mouth mere centimetres from her ear.

 

Wanda nodded. “As soon as we reach the courtyard,” she promised him. They were celebrating in the courtyard, so what better place to tell them?

 

As everyone settled in the courtyard amongst Maria's prized plants, Wanda stood with a glass of water to make her announcement.

 

“Now that we are wed, Jonas and I have another announcement to make,” Wanda began, which got everyone's attention. Once she had it, she went on. “I found out two weeks ago from the healer that I am with child,” she said, smiling broadly. “Jonas and I are to be parents.”

 

There was a murmur in the group, Pietro finally speaking out over the din.

 

“Congratulations,” he beamed, standing and going to hug his sister. “You will be amazing parents. Just look at how you are with Evelyn.”

 

“Thank you, _fratrem_ ,” Wanda smiled, hugging him back. The rest of the group took their turns congratulating the newlyweds, both on the wedding and their child.

 

The end of the night saw Jonas and Wanda returning to their chambers, Jonas carefully helping Wanda out of her dress so she could slip on one of his night shirts. They collapsed onto the bed together, naturally curling against each other and falling asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three months into her pregnancy, Wanda is given quite a shock from Bruce during her check-up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last proper chapter. The next will be an epilogue, then that's it.

Around her third month, Wanda had returned to Bruce for her weekly check-up. She was feeling more sore than usual in her lower back, but that was to be expected when carrying a child. She told Bruce as much though, just in case, as she laid on the table.

 

Bruce nodded, filing that away for later as he pressed his stethoscope to her stomach. He frowned as he moved it around, which alarmed Wanda.

 

“Is everything alright?” Wanda asked when he pulled away with a frown on his face.

 

“Everything is fine,” Bruce nodded, looping his stethoscope around his neck once more. “I do believe you are in for more than you thought, however.”

 

It was Wanda's turn to frown. “What do you mean?” she asked. Was something wrong with her child?

 

“I heard a second heartbeat not your own,” Bruce explained.

 

“Twins?” Wanda muttered, eyes wide in surprise. Bruce simply nodded, smiling warmly.

 

“Twins,” he confirmed. Wanda pulled herself into a sitting position, her hand laying across her fast-growing stomach. _Twins_.

 

When she returned to Jonas after her check-up, Wanda crawled into bed with him and laid her head on his chest. She let out a deep sigh, wondering how she would tell him.

 

“Is everything alright with our child, dearest?” Jonas asked, running a hand through Wanda's hair.

 

Wanda nodded. “Everything is alright with the children,” she muttered, not realize what she had said as she was so tired.

 

“Children?” Jonas frowned, blinking.

 

Wanda nodded, shifting to meet Jonas' eye. “I was told I was carrying twins today. Or at least, Bruce thinks I am.”

 

“That is wonderful,” Jonas said, kissing the top of her head. “Two little children to care for and love.”

 

“Two little blends of you and I,” Wanda added, tucking her head under Jonas' chin as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Jonas wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in as he eventually drifted off as well.

 

The next morning presented them with the task of telling the rest of the family. Maria was first, and she hugged them so tightly Jonas was getting light-headed. Virginia smiled warmly, while Anthony hugged Wanda and ruffled Jonas' hair. Pietro and Robert grinned so widely Jonas was afraid their faces would split, which Wanda thought was precious.

 

Over the course of the next month and a half, Wanda grew enough that Jonas effectively kept her in their chambers most of the day. She had difficulties lacing up her dresses, so she mostly wore Jonas' night shirts, which were still much to big on her. Jonas made sure she got food, as she needed more than usual. She would occasionally request odd snack, like celery and strawberries or bread and ground hazelnut.

 

The closer her due date got, the less odd snacks she requested. She would sometimes request them, but not as often.

 

Three weeks before her expected due date, Wanda began to feel intense pains at a steady rate, but she wasn't sure why. They wracked her body, causing her to cry out and wake Jonas. He was on high alert when he heard her cry out, scrambling up to retrieve Bruce. He would know what to do.

 

He left and came back with Bruce in less than ten minutes, during which time Wanda had sat up and tried to brave the pain. It wasn't working, and she was still whimpering as each new wave of pain hit.

 

Bruce was at her side quickly, checking her over. “I believe she is ready to deliver,” he frowned. “Though she is early.”

 

“Is that normal?” Jonas asked frantically.

 

“With twins, it is not uncommon,” Bruce nodded. “If you could help me, I need sheers, a basin of water, and cloth,” he requested. Jonas sprung into action, going on a search to find the requested items.

 

While he was gone, Bruce tried to help Wanda get her breathing under control by showing her what to do. Bruce had helped deliver Evelyn, as well as many other children for the castle staff. He knew what he was doing, and Wanda trusted him.

 

When Jonas returned with the items, he set them down for Bruce. Bruce nodded his thanks, telling Jonas to hold Wanda's hand so she had something to squeeze. It was only going to get more painful from here, he warned her.

 

Indeed, it did get more painful. Seventeen hours of pain followed, during which time the rest of the family had wandered into the room. Pietro and Robert fell asleep on the bench under the window somewhere around hour seven, but everyone else managed to stay awake the entire time. The first child was born at the sixteen and a half hour mark, the second born at the seventeen hour mark.

 

Once Bruce cleaned them off and wrapped them in cloth, he handed the twins to Wanda, who held them close to her chest.

 

Her little boys, her precious baby boys. She felt a single tear run down her cheek as she watched them stretch, kissing their foreheads.

 

“What are their names?” Pietro asked. He'd woken up when the first was delivered, the screaming having woken him and Robert.

 

Wanda and Jonas exchanged a brief look before they shared the names of their sons.

 

“The older one is Thomas,” Wanda smiled softly. “Say 'hi', Thomas,” she muttered, which actually got Thomas to stretch his little hand above his head.

 

“The younger one is William,” Jonas finished. William stretched as well, accidentally hitting Wanda in the nose in the process. Everyone chuckled softly, though Bruce shooed everyone out of the room so the twins could sleep.

 

Jonas had built bassinets for them around the six month mark, so they did have somewhere to sleep. However, neither parent was willing to part with the newborns for the night, so they fell asleep with the twins on the bed between them.

 

They were still asleep like that in the morning when Bruce returned to check on them, so he simply left them there for another few hours. There was no harm in letting them sleep longer, especially after the seventeen hours of labour Wanda went through.


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An oddly-written epilogue, focusing on the twins and their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's done! Holy fuck! This took me close to an entire day to write, non-stop. I figured out how I wanted it to end around chapter seven, and got myself there. Now have a dorky epilogue (mostly) focused around everyone's favourite gay wizard and his alien fiance, with a bit of sassy archer thrown in.

Prince Thomas and Prince William were always inseparable from each other. Where one went, the other did as well. Their first five years were spent attached at the hip, never leaving each other's sides. Once they hit six, they tried to make other friends, but found they only wished for the company of their twin. It was adorable, frankly.

 

At 14, William met Theodore, a commoner from the village, and he began to wonder things he never thought about before, like what it was like to kiss someone and what love felt like. He may have only been 14, but he was sure he knew what it was. He invited Theodore to the castle every so often so they could bond, which Thomas didn't like very much. His brother was drifting away from him, but Thomas knew he would eventually need space. Besides, seeing William and Theodore together was adorable, both to Thomas and their parents.

 

At 16, William went to his parents to tell them he didn't like girls, did not wish to marry one. He said he was like Uncle Pietro and Uncle Robert. He liked boys, wished he could marry one someday. After all, Uncle Pietro and Uncle Robert had been together for well over 17 years, and had been married for seven. Anthony had fought for that right with the rest of his court for many years, wanting his brother, and anyone like him, to have the same rights and freedoms as anyone else. Wanda and Jonas hugged their younger son, told him he would find somebody someday. He told them he thought he already found somebody.

 

At 17, William finally worked up the nerve to tell Theodore how he felt, which resulted in him rambling so much Theodore kissed him to make him shut up.

 

At 18, Thomas met Katherine, a member of the knights. He was enamoured when he first met her, and the two were together in a matter of months.

 

At 20, both of the twins were engaged to someone they loved and truly cared about, and their parents couldn't be happier.

 

William and Theodore married at 21, while Thomas and Katherine were married at 23. They still lived in the castle with the rest of the family, though Grandmother had passed away when the twins were 15.

 

When Thomas came to his parents with Katherine at his side to tell them they were expecting, Wanda fussed over Katherine, doing the whole overprotective mother thing she did best.

 

Katherine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl they named Maria, and the three of them were happy. William and Theodore spent quite some time searching for ways to have a child of their own, and it actually happened by accident. Someone had left a baby in a basket out front of the castle, a note attached saying there was nowhere else to leave him. William and Theodore happily took him in as their own, naming his James.

 

To put long paragraphs into a short sentence, they were all happy and nothing hurt.

**Author's Note:**

> Parvus, the name of Hank Pym's kingdom, is Latin for 'small', because I think I'm funny.


End file.
